Extension car-step.



No. 793,339. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

W. B. BASSBLL.

EXTENSION CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1904.

wnNEssEs: 0/ INVENTOR NTTED STATES Patented June 27,1905.

'ILLIABI Il. BASSELL, OF COLUMBUS. OIIIO.

EXTENSION CAR-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,339, dated June 2'7, 1905. Application tiled `Tune 27,1904. Serial No. 214.255.

VTo f// /r/mm/ it infr/.y foncer/L:

Bo it known that I, `Wrnnnm Il. Bassani., a citizen ot' the United States, resid ing at Columhus, in the county of Franklin and State ot' Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Extension Uar- Steps, ot' which the following is a speoilieation.

.\Iy invention relates to a new and useful improvement in extension car-steps.

'Ihe ohject more particularly resides in the provision ol pneumatic means which may he readily connected with the air-brake system ol the car for operating the steps.

Another olriect lies in means for locking the treads in their extended position when the passenger' steps thereon.

Finally. the ohject of the invention is to provide a device ot the character described that will he strong, durahle, and ellicicnt, and simple and comparatively inexpensive to make, and one in which the several parts will not he liahle to get out ot' working order.

\Vith the ahove and other objects in view the invention consists ot' the novel details ot' construction and operation, a preterahlc emhodiment ot' which is described in the specilication and illustrated in the drawings, w he rei nw Figure l is a transverse sectional view of a car-platform, showing my improved steps in elevation and in their raised position. Fig. Q is a similar view showing the steps extended.

Fig. 3 is a sido elevation of the operating mechanism. Fig. si is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a hottom plan view ot the operating mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of one ot' the steps, showing the platform in section and the lowermost step extended.

In the drawings the numeral l designates the platt'orm otl the car, `from each side et' which project the lixed steps 2. Hangers 3, secured to the outer lower portions of the steps 2, pivotally support yokes LL, which latter pivotally support at their lower ends the extension steps or treads 5. Extending from the rear of the treads or steps 5 are upwardlycurved arms o, formed with elongated loops T and contracted ends S, which are adapted to engage in the teeth ot' the curved rack-bars l0, which latter are supported l'roni the rear sides ot' the steps 'lhe arms are supported by hails Il, which pass through the elongated loops 'T and are pivotally mounted at their tree ends upon the under side ol the steps 2.

The elongated loops T allow the arms 6 a limited play upon the hails, so that when the treads 5 are in their extended position, as shown in Fig. 2, pressure applied thereon forces the arms (i upward, causing the ends or points S to engage in the teeth ot' the rack har l0, and thus prevent the steps from swinging' backward. lVhen the pressure is removed from the treads 5, the steps will swing slightly outward and the arms (S drop to their normal position.

For raising and lowering the steps I pro- `vide a pneumatic device. which comprises a Iixed cylinder IQ, having a thickened end wall 13, from which extend hraekets I4, which are secured to the under Iaee ol the platform and by which the device is supported. An airsupply pipo 15, which may he connected with the air-brake cylinder, passes through the wall 'I3 for the purpose ot delivering air into the cylinder. A suitahle valve (not shown) may be arranged in the pipe 'for controlling the air-supply.

A plunger-cylindor Ill, having an enlarged head 1T, lits snugly within the cylinder l2, so that when air is forced into the cyliiulei 'IQ the plunger-cyliinler IG is driven outward, and when the air is exhausted the said cylinder is drawn inward by a spring 3l, secured at one end to cylilnler-wall I3 by a bow 3Q and at the other end to plunger-heini 1T hy eye 33. Extending rearwardly from the head 1T is an arm I8, which normally stands in the.

recess 1), formed in the lower end ot the end wall 13. A pin 20, secured in the end ot' theJ arm IS, projects downwardly through the elongated slot Z1 olf a longitiulinally-cxtend ing plate 22, secured along the lower edge ot' the end wall 13. Iivoted upon the under face of the plate 22 by means ot' the pivotscrew 23 is an irregularshaped lever-plate 24, provided at its opposite ends with eyes from which extend oppositely-disposed links 26, having a pivotal engagement at their outer IOO ends with the yoles 4. The plate 24 is formed near its inner end with a curved slot 27, having recessed ends 28 and 29.

The pin 20, which, as before described, passes through the slot 21, also passes through the curved slot 27, and when the parts are in their normal position-that is, the steps being raised and the plate 24 being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5-the pin 2O rests in the recess 29 of the slot 27, the plunger-cylinder being drawn in by the vacuum created by the exhaustion of the air therefrom. When the vacuum in the cylinders 12 and 16 is relieved and the air forced into the same under pressure, .the cylinder 16 will be driven outward, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. As the cylinder 16 moves outward the pin being carried by the arm 18 is guided in the slot 21, thus preventing the cylinder from turning. During this outward movement the pin impinges the inner wall 30 of the slot 27, which owing to its curved formation travels along the side of the pin, thus forcing the lever-plate 24 to one side and the pin iinally resting in the recess 28, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. This swinging movement of the plate 24 throws the links 26 outward, thus causing the treads or steps 5 to be swung downward, as shown in Fig. 2. The pressure being relieved in the cylinders, the parts are returned to their normal position by spring 31. It will be readily seen that the steps may thus be conveniently controlled from the point at which the air-brakecontrolling means is regulated-on railroads in the cab of the engine and on street-cars upon the platform in juxtaposition to the brake-controlling apparatus.

It is apparent that the device is entirely automatic and that the raising and lowering of the steps or treads 5 may be readily and expeditiously accomplishec I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth, as I may make various changes in the same withi out departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an adjustable tread, of pneumatic means for operating the tread, and automatic means for locking the tread in operative position.

2. The combination with an adjustable tread, of a swinging plate having a cam-slot and connected to the tread for adjusting the same, and mechanism having a movable part engaging in the cam-slot for swinging the plate.

3. The combination with an adjustable tread, of pneumatic means for adjusting the tread comprising a Fixed cylinder, a movable cylinder slidably mounted on the fixed cylinder, a swinging plate operatively connected to the movable cylinder, and means for connecting the plate with the tread.

4. In a device of the type set forth, the combination with a iixed cylinder, and a movable cylinder carrying a projection, of a swinging plate having a slot therein in which the projection travels whereby the plate is swung when the last-named cylinder is moved.

VILLIAM B. BASSELL.

In presence of* A. L. PHELPs, l/V. L. MoRRoW. 

